Centralia, Pennsylvania, the Burning Town

I went to see the movie "Silent Hill" a few weeks ago and it got me thinking about something from my childhood. I wasn't thinking about scary creatures or strange worlds, I was thinking about a town that really is burning underground, and has been for forty years. I wondered if this town was some sort of inspiration for the burning town of Silent Hill.

I grew up on northeastern Pennsylvania. The story of Centralia was a major news story then, and I remember hearing about it often. The town was sitting on top of a lot of coal, and mining was big business at one time. Back then the story was the mine fire underneath the town that could not be extinguished.

Centralia is found near Ashland, PA. The larger cities nearby are Sunbury and Allentown. This small town once had a population of a little over 1000 people. Centralia is found off of Route 61 in PA, but you may have trouble finding it on newer maps.

The story about how the fire started is a simple one. In 1962, the town needed a new landfill so an old mining area was used. The old mine holes were supposed to be filled in before the landfill was started. One was missed, however, and a trash fire started nearby. The fire was doused after several attempts and forgotten. The truth was, however, that the fire was not contained. The coal set fire and has been burning underground ever since.

For years every attempt to stop the fire from spreading failed. Eventually the town was considered uninhabitable and the government paid homeowners for their property so they could move out of the town. Many of the residents did. The gases coming from the burning fires can be lethal.

As time went on, millions of dollars were spent trying to stop the fires that burned stubbornly beneath the surface. Residents started moving and the fire kept growing. Today, there are only a handful of residents left in Centralia. The town has been officially condemned and the Postal Service has discontinued the zip code for Centralia.

Those who remain refuse to leave their homes, despite repeated attempts from the government to buy them out. As for the rest of the homes, they have been torn down. From the pictures I have seen of what Centralia looks like today, nature has taken back the land, leaving only empty streets as reminders of a once thriving town.

Some experts say the fire could burn for another hundred years or more, thus threatening nearby communities. If you visit Centralia today, you can see the smoke rising from the ground and the warning signs telling you to stay out for your own safety.

If you wish to visit Centralia, there are plenty of resources on the Internet that will help you find it. Perhaps with the release of "Silent Hill" the area will see a surge of tourists. Please remember, Centralia is still home to a few people, and you should respect that if you choose to visit.

Also remember that visiting the area is strongly discouraged because of harmful gases and the threat of sinkholes. If you do go, proceed with caution and be respectful. Those who remain do so because they have been there for a long time and don't want to leave their homes, despite the risks. Tread with caution.